1. Field of the Invention
The invention concerns a microwave generator which includes a radiation antenna connected to capacitors which are to be recharged, and a high-voltage generator as an energy supplier for the charging up of the capacitors. Further disclosed is a method of radiating microwave energy utilizing the inventive microwave generator.
In general terms energy is emitted in the pulse form in the microwave spectrum if a high voltage battery, for example a capacitor battery which in accordance with the principle of the Marx impulse voltage circuit is charged up in parallel and then connected in series by way of switching spark gaps is discharged by way of a spark gap. For, that involves a current flow in pulse form, which is initiated steeply and which oscillates strongly, through the capacitor circuit and through an antenna conductor which under some circumstances is connected thereto, this therefore providing for correspondingly wide-band emission of a microwave spectrum of high energy density. In the more immediate proximity that can at least impair radio communication and an electronic circuit, in particular at the input side, can be damaged or even destroyed thereby.
2. Discussion of the Prior Art
In order for microwave energy to be radiated specifically into a hollow conductor or waveguide it is known from U.S. Pat. No. 3,748,528 A for an electrode which is bottle-shaped in contour, with a cambered bottom, to be arranged to project into the waveguide in order to form a spark gap with the oppositely disposed wall region of the waveguide. The end which is opposite thereto and which in contrast is flat, so-to-speak the neck of the bottle, of that electrode projects as an electrode of a further spark gap designed as a pulse shaper, into a cavity filled with protective gas. The counterpart electrode thereof is the flat end of the inner conductor of a coaxial arrangement. That inner conductor is charged up in opposite relationship to the spark gap by means of an additional spark gap serving as a switch and by way of a pulse shaper as well as a series resistor from a high voltage dc source so that upon discharge firstly the pulse-shaping spark gap and thereafter the microwave-generating spark gap are caused to respond.
It is known for example from U.S. Pat. No. 4,845,378 A to switch over arrays of capacitors by way of spark gap switches, in the manner of the Marx impulse voltage circuit, as the high voltage source, in that case to generate an electromagnetic pulse for the simulation of a real nuclearly triggered impulse.
The effect of intensive local microwave radiation is propagated as a non-lethal weapon against enemy communication systems (see DER SPIEGEL, Issue July 1997, pages 53 if, the end of paragraph 3 of the left-hand column on page 54).